A meat processing facility might look — and even smell — like a horror scene, but here, the story is one of hope, as this meat is destined to feed the hungry.
“You can see there’s already 700 pounds there — that’s all going to the food bank,” says Cody Lightfoot.
That 700 pounds is only a fraction of the meat Lightfoot and his partner, Sarah, see at Yellowstone Processing. The facility has operated for more than a decade in Bozeman, just off I-90, but Lightfoot and Sarah became the new owners last October.
“We processed 1,029 animals last year between October and February,” Lightfoot says. “I’m thinking we’re going to hit 2,000 or better this year.”
The facility can hold up to 300 animals at a time — from deer to elk, even bison. But processing meat for hunters isn’t their only mission.
“Between the Veterans Meat Locker and the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, I know we gave both of them around 1,400 pounds — somewhere in that ballpark — each,” Lightfoot explains.
Yellowstone Processing regularly donates meat to local organizations and participates in Hunters Against Hunger, a partnership between the Montana Food Bank Network and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Through the program, hunters can donate their legally harvested game to participating processors, who then deliver the meat to food pantries across the state.
Lightfoot showed me what that process looks like here at Yellowstone Processing.
“Here’s a good example of a food bank animal that was brought in — incoming weight of 245 pounds,” Lightfoot said as he gestured to drop off paperwork.
Hunters drop off their animals, free of charge, and request that the meat be donated. The processors then skin and torch the carcass before transferring it to the cutting room.
“When they come out into the cutting room, they’re going to break them down out here,” Lightfoot explains.
If the meat is bound for a food bank, it’s put through a massive grinder.
“This big old giant grinder can do about 150 pounds at a time,” he says.
The ground meat is sealed, packed into food bank boxes, and stored in Yellowstone Processing’s freezer.
“It’s pretty cool to see that pile in the freezer getting bigger and bigger and bigger,” Lightfoot says.
When they’ve accumulated enough, the boxes are shipped to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank.
WATCH: Behind the scenes of Hunters Against Hunger Program MT [GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING]
“That’s the best food we can give to our customers,” says Jill Holder, Food Nutrition Director with HRDC. “It’s culturally appropriate for Montana, it’s usually a healthy choice, and our customers love getting it.”
Holder says that since Hunters Against Hunger began, they’ve received around 60,000 pounds of donated game in the past 15 years — all of it feeding families in need at no cost.
“I can’t stress enough the need,” Holder adds. “We’re seeing so many folks having trouble making ends meet, and that’s a statewide experience.”
“Knowing that it’s from our local area, processed here locally, donated locally, and staying right here — it’s a great feeling,” Lightfoot says.
For hunters interested in supporting the fight against hunger, more information is available at the link below.
